Strap and buckle assembling apparatus



Dec. 27, 1955 H. ALFANDRE 2,728,497

STRAP AND BUCKLE ASSEMBLINGQAPPARATUS Filed Feb. 12, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 36 A 58 MIIII A I. AA A l A l A A A El!!!" 352777;;7;

IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS Dec. 27, 1955 H. ALFANDRE STRAP AND BUCKLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 12. 1953 Dec. 27, 1955 H. ALFANDRE STRAP AND BUCKLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 12, 1953 g/ 7 j N @Q Q Dec. 27, 1955 H. ALFANDRE 2,723,497,

STRAP AND BUCKLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 12, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 27, 1955 H. ALFANDRE 2,728,497

STRAP AND BUCKLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 12, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Tlqll.

2 ZZZ 147' TOP/V575 2,728,497 STRAP AND BUCKLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Harry Alfandre, Jamaica, N. Y.

Application February 12, 1953, Serial No. 336,605

9 Claims. (Cl. 223-49) This invention relates to apparatus for assembling buckles and straps in the manufacture of adjustable straps. The apparatus is intended primarily for use in the manufacture of adjustable shoulder straps of the type extensively utilized in ladies undergarments, but may be used generally for the manufacture of adjustable straps. More particularly, the present invention resides in improvements upon the apparatus shown and described in my prior Patent No. 2,091,176, dated August 24, 1937, and in the apparatus shown and described in my prior Patent No. 2,526,187, dated October 17, 1950.

In the apparatus disclosed in each of my prior patents, a separate holder was required for each buckle magazine. One holder was mounted on the upper side or surface of a guide block and the other holder was mounted on the lower side or surface thereof. A plunger operated in said guide block between said holders to discharge the buckles from each of the magazines. While the feed from the upper magazine was of the gravity type, being augmented by a weighted bar, the feed from the lower magazine depended upon a spring urged plunger which was provided with an elongated stern about which the spring was disposed. The spring biased the plunger for upward movement and when the magazine was filled substantially to capacity, the plunger was in its maximum retracted or lowermost position and, therefore, subject to maximum spring pressure. This resulted in a tendency, at times, for the plunger to bend slightly from a vertical plane. This caused the buckles in the lower magazine to tilt or be displaced from a horizontal plane so as to interfere with the proper feed thereof from said lower magazine. Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to eliminate any such tendency of the buckles to be displaced from proper feeding disposition thereof.

Another object is the provision of means to feed a pair of companion buckles from the upper surface of a guide block, whereby to provide a positive feed for both buckles.

A further object is the provision of a single holder means in which both of the magazines are disposed.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus embodying the present invention with parts thereof broken away;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of said apparatus with parts thereof illustrated in section and with the buckle-feed mech anism disposed in the retracted position thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the buckle-feed mechanism in the projected position thereof;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation, as viewed in the direction of the arrow 4 in Fig. 2, with parts broken away and parts in section;

Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, taken on the line 77 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, taken on the line 88 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, taken on the line 99 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, taken on the line 1010 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, taken on the line 1111 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 12 is an exploded view of a magazine holder pursuant to the present invention and inserts therefor;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing an insert in position in the magazine holder;

Fig. 14 is an exploded view of a buckle magazine and feed bar therefor, with portions broken away; and

Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken on the line 15-'-15 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral designates the bed plate of the instant apparatus which is suitably secured, as by screws 22, to a bench or work table 24. Suitably mounted, as by the screws 26, on the bed plate 20 is an upright bracket or standard 28, having laterally extending arms in which a bar 32 is vertically slidable. Bar 32 carries at its lower end a strap threading device 34, to be hereinafter described in detail, and has a T-shaped upper end 36 which is inserted in a guide groove 38 in an arm 40 on a rod 42 for preventing relative rotation of the rod 32 and the arm 44). Rod 42 is mounted for movement relative to the bracket arms 30 and a guide part 4'3. Said rod is normally urged by a compression spring 44 into the uppermost position thereof, illustrated in Fig. 1, in which an adjustable collar 46 thereon bears against one of the bracket arms 30, the spring being mounted between said collar and part 43. The lower end of rod 42 is connected by a link 48 (Fig. 4) with a suitable foot pedal not shown herein but which is illustrated in both of'my prior patents, which, when depressed by an operator, causes lowering of the rod 42 and corresponding lowering of the strap threading device 34 into operative position. The strap threading device 34 comprises a blade 52 and a hook 54, both being removably clamped into slots 56, respectively, in a head 58 on the lower end of bar 32, as best illustrated in Fig. 1.

Suitably mounted on the bed plate 20, as by the bolt 62 is a block 64, as best illustrated in Fig. 5. In the upper surface thereof, the block 64 is provided with a recess or seat 66 which extends diagonally inwardly from the rear end 68 of the block toward the front end 70 thereof, as best shown in Figs. 1, 2, 10 and 11. In the lower surface thereof, the block is provided with a recess or seat 72 (Figs. 1, 3, 10 and 11) which extends diagonally inwardly from the rear end 68 of the block toward the front end 70 thereof, but in relative converging relation to the recess 66, so that said recesses will be in superimposed relation at the front of the block, as best illustrated in Fig. 1. At the front 70 of the block and projecting therefrom the recess 66 mounts the pair of relatively movable jaws 74, and the recess 72 mounts the pair of relatively movable projecting jaws 76. The jaws 74 are constituted by the stationary jaw 74A and the companion movable jaw 7413. The jaw 74A is integral with and constitutes the forward portion of a guide 82 which is secured in the recess 66, as by the screws 84. The companion jawv 74B is mounted for pivotal movement at the screw 86, and it is normally biased toward the companion jaw 74A by the spring 88 provided in the block 64, as best illustrated in Fig. 11, the screw 90 extending through the jaw 74B into the block 64, to limit the pivotal movement thereof. It

3 will be noted that the spring 88 has onev end. thereof in abutment with the jaw 74B and the other end thereof in abutment with a screw 92 threaded into the spring bore 78 of the block 64. Fig. 2.illustrates the open position of the jaws 74 with a double eyelet buckle 94 therebetween. However, it will be understood that in the closed condition thereof, the distance between the jaw members 74A and 74B is less than the width of said double buckle 94, the jaw 74B pivoting to receive said buckle. Rearwardly of the pivotally movable jaw 7413, the block 30 is provided with a guide member 96 which is secured in the recess 66, by the screws 97, and which cooperates with the previously mentioned guide member 82, as hereinafter described in detail. It will be noted from Fig. that the guide members 82 and 96 are longitudinally groovedattheir confronting, surfaces, as at 98 and 100, respectively. The groove 98 extends into the stationary jaw 74A, as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 11, and the companion pivotally movable jaw 74B is provided with a similar groove 102 (Fig. 11) which is in alignment with the previously mentioned groove 100 in the guide member 96. From the foregoing, it will be understood that the groove 98 and the aligned grooves 100 and 102 cooperate to form a track or guideway which extends from the rear to the frontv of the block. 64 at the upper surface thereof.

The pair of jaws 76 at the lower surface of the block are constituted by the stationary jaw 76A and by the pivotally mounted jaw member 763. The stationary jaw- 76A comprises the forward end of a guide member 104 (Fig; 8) which is mounted, as by the screws 106, in the lower recess 72 in the block, said guide member being substantially similar to the previously mentioned guide member 82. The companion movable jaw 76B is pivotally mounted in the lower recess 72 by a screw 107 (Fig. 4). A screw 103 extends through the jaw 76B and into the block 64 to limit pivotal movement thereof, as best illustrated in Fig. 11. A spring 110, provided in the block bore 111, between the screw 112 and the jaw 76B, biases the latter to abut the stationary jaw 76A in the closed condiiton of said jaws. A guide member 114 (Figs. 1, 2, 9 and 10) is disposed in the lower recess adn extends therein rearwardly of the movable jaw member 7613. At their confronting surfaces, the guide member 104 is longitudinally grooved, as at 116, and the companion guide member 114 is longitudinally grooved, as at 118, it being understood that said grooves together cooperate to form a track or guideway. As in the case of the upper jaws 74, the groove 116 in the guide member 104 extends into thestationary jaw 76A, and the companion movable jaw 76B is grooved, as at 118A, and said groove is aligned with the groove118 of the guide member 114.

The track 98-100 accommodates a feed slide member or plunger 122 for ejecting the double eyelet buckle 94. The track 116-418 accommodates a feed slide member or plunger 124 for ejecting the single eyelet buckle 126.

In order to effect reciprocation of saidv slides, provision is made for a reciprocating carriage, generally indicated, at 127. In order to accommodate the carriage the bed plate is slotted, as at 128 (Fig. 5) and provided with the spaced guide members 130 and 132 which are secured thereto, as at 134, and which constitute a continuation of the slot 128. The carriage 127 comprises a holder member 136 which is grooved longitudinally thereof, at each of the opposite sides thereof, as at 138 and 140, to provide tracks for the guide members 130 and 132, respectively, asbest seen in Fig. 6. It will. be noted that the slot 128 is closed at one end thereof by a portion 142 of the bed plate, as best illustrated in Fig.v 5, and at the other end thereof by a portion 152 of the bed plate. The previously mentioned guide members 130 and 132 overlie the portion 142 of the bed plate and extend outwardly thereof. The holder 136 is provided with an underlying U-shaped part 144 having the spaced arms 145 and 148. Bolts 146 secure said arms to the member 136. Ann 145 rides in the closed slot 123. Said part 144 has a base portion 147 which underlies the previously mentioned portion 142 of the bed plate 20. From the foregoing, it will be understood that movement of the carriage 127 in the direction of the arrow 150 in Fig. 5 is limited by the engagement of the arm 145 with the bed plate portion 152 and that movement thereof in the opposite direction is limted by engagement thereof with the bed plate portion 142, as illustrated in Fig. 5. Further it will be understood that during the entire movement of the carriage to and from the retracted position thereof, illustrated in Fig. 2, to and from the projected position thereof, illustrated in Fig. 3, the tracks 138 and 140 of the holder ride on the guide members 130 and 132.

In order to effect said reciprocation of the carriage, provision is made for a bell crank lever 154, best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, which is pivotally mounted, as at 156, to a bracket 158 at the underside of the bed plate 20. As best illustrated at Fig. 4, a link 160 has one end thereof pivotally connected to the bell crank lever, as at 162, and the other end thereof is pivotally connected to the member 144 of the carriage, as at 164. A coiled spring 166 interconnects the bell crank lever, as at 168, and a lug. 176 carried by the bed plate for returning the carriage. 127 to the retracted position thereof. A link 172 interconnects the bell crank lever and a suitable foot pedal, not shown herein but which is fully illustrated and described in both of my prior patents, for operating the bell crank lever against the bias of the spring to move the carriage from the retracted position thereof to the projected position thereof, the carriage being returned to said retracted position by contraction of the spring 166 which expands upon operation of the foot pedal.

In order to effect the reciprocation of the previously mentioned buckle feed bars 122 and 124, the holder 136 of the carriage is provided with a yoke 174 which'yoke 174 straddles the holder part as at 176 and 178, as best illustrated in Fig. 6. In order to adjustably mount the yoke on the holder part, the yoke is provided with the elongated slot 180 through which there extends a threaded locking bolt 182 which is secured in the part 136, as at 184 in Fig. 5. A washer 136 is interposed between the yoke and the head of the bolt 182. In order to adjust the yoke relative to the member 136, provision is made for the adjusting screw 138 which is mounted in the upstanding part of the holder 136. The adjustment is accomplished by backing up the bolt 182, and then rotating the member 188 in a direction to move the yoke closer to the previously mentioned jaws 74 and 76 for positioning the feed bars carried thereby, closer to the respective jaws. In order to then retain the yoke at the adjusted position thereof, the locking bolt 182 is threaded into position and the nut 192 is threaded against the upstanding part 190.

It will be noted that the yoke is provided with the oppositely extending diagonally directed slots 194 and 196. The feed bar 122 is carried at the underside of an arm 198, being secured thereto by screws 200 (Fig. 7). Said arm is provided with a depending roller 202 (Fig. 6) which is disposed within the slot 194. The feed bar 124 extends from an arm 204 in which it is suitably secured and said arm is provided with an enlarged part 205 carrying a roller 206 which extends into the slot 196. From the foregoing, it will be understood that the rollers converge in the slots as the carriage moves to the projected position thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and that said rollers diverge in said slots during movement of the carriage to the retracted position thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Supply stacks of the double eyelet buckles 94 and the single eyelet buckles 126 are provided in tubular magazines 208 and 210, respectively. Pursuant to the present invention, said magazines are mounted in. side-by-side disposition at the upper side of the block, 64, by' a common holder or mount 212. As best illustrated in Fig. 12,. said holder comprises the casting 214 having the vertically extending notches 216 and 220 which are closed at their sides by the plate 222 secured to the casting as at 224. The casting is provided with the apertured flange 226 for securing the latter on the block 64, as by the screws 228. As will be noted from Figs. 2 and 3, the notch 216 is narrower than the notch 220. The notch 216 accommodates the magazine 210 for the single eyelet buckles and the notch 220 accommodates the magazine 208 for the double eyelet buckles. Referring now to Fig. 9, it will be noted that the companion guide members 82 and 96 are recessed, inwardly of the upper jaws 74, as at 215215, in order to accommodate the magazine 208, which extends through the block 212, said recesses forming a seat for the discharge end of the magazine. Similarly, the companion guide members 104 and 114 are recessed, as at 217-217, to form a similar seat for the discharge end of the magazine 210 which extends through the block 212.

The discharge end of each magazine may be constructed as shown in Fig. 14. Thus, two opposite side walls 217217 of either magazine may be provided at the discharge end with inwardly bent opposite ledges 218218 which retain the stacked buckles in the magazine, and which are spaced from the adjacent ends of the other side walls 221221 of the magazine to provide a discharge gate 223 through which the foremost buckle may be removed edgewise. As best illustrated in Fig. 7, the discharge gate in the magazine 208 is in alignment with the feed bar 122 when the magazine is in the operative position thereof. Similarly, the discharge gate in the magazine 210 is aligned with the feed bar 124 when the latter magazine is in the operative position thereof, as best illustrated in Fig. 8. In order to retain each of said magazines in the operative position thereof, against withdrawal outwardly from the block 212, it will be noted from Figs. 7 and 8, that in the retracted position of the carriage, each feed bar extends slightly into the gate of the companion magazine to partially overlie the ledges 218-218 of the magazine. It will be understood that the yoke 174 is retracted relative to the holder 136, in the retracted position of the carriage, to withdraw both of the feed bars from the position thereof indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, to permit for the insertion or removal of the magazines from the holders. As previously indicated, this is accomplished by backing up the locking bolt 182 to release the yoke for movement relative to the holder 136 and by backing up on the adjusting screw 188 to permit for said relative movement.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the respective notches 216 and 220, when closed by the plate 222, form sockets for receiving the rectangular magazines. Said magazines fit in their respective sockets only if so disposed that the discharge gate of magazine 208 is in alignment with, and forms a continuation of the tracks extending from the upper guide members 82 and 96 through the jaws 74, and the discharge gate of magazine 210 forms a continuation of tracks extending from the lower guide members 104 and 114 and through the jaws 76. If so disposed, the foremost buckles in the magazines 208 and 210 are in the path of the feed bars 122 and 124, respectively, and are transferred by said feed bars from their respective magazines into the tracks of the jaws 74 and 76, to an assembly station generally, indicated at 230 in Fig. 4. At said assembly station, said foremost buckles are in operative alignment with the strap threading device 34, vertically below the latter, and as indicated in Fig. 15, the eyelet in the lower buckle 126 is in vertical alignment with one of the eyelets in the upper buckle 94.

In order to assure that the buckles in each of the magazines advance towards the discharge end thereof every time a buckle is removed therefrom by the companion feed bar, the gravity of the stacked buckles is augmented by that of a bar 232 or 234, as the case may be, which fits into the upper end of the magazine and rests on the buckles therein, in the fashion shown in Fig. 9. Said bars are preferably made of solid metal stock.

As in my prior Patent No. 2,526,187, provision is made herein to adapt the apparatus for the assembly of straps and buckles of different sizes, without involving a complicated interchange of numerous parts, or requiring a skilled mechanic. In this connection, provision is made for the inserts 236 and 238 (Figs. 12 and 13) that are removably mounted by screws 240 on the magazine holder 212 for the purpose of sizing the notches 216 and 220, respectively, for fittedly receiving magazines that are of narrower widths longitudinally of the respective feed bars than the magazine 208 and 210, respectively, in the manner fully described in said prior patent. One of said magazines for a double-eyelet buckle is illustrated at 208A in Fig. 13. In this manner, provision may be made for assembling a strap with buckles which are narrower or smaller than the previously mentioned buckles, for example, the double-eyelet buckles which are indicated at 242. The inserts are readily removable to hold the magazines for the larger buckles, as illustrated in Fig. 9.

A holder 246 for adjustable straps is mounted on the bed plate 20 of the apparatus, and comprises a bracket having a slotted portion 248 for engagement with a screw 250 by which said bracket may be adjustably secured in position, and a downwardly turned portion 252 which carries a socket 254 for a needle 256 on which the ends of the assembled straps may be impaled.

In using the present apparatus for the purpose of assembling a pair of buckles with straps and forming an adjustable loop in one of the straps, and assuming that the magazines are mounted in the apparatus as shown in Fig. 9, a double eyelet buckle 94 and a single eyelet buckle 126 are transferred from the magazines 208 and 210, respectively, to the described assembly station in their respective jaws 74 and 76, by depressing a pedal which depresses the link 172, as illustrated and described in both of my previously identified patents, whereby to operate the bell crank lever 154 for advancing the carriage from the retracted to the projected position thereof to accordingly advance the feed bars 122 and 124 from the respective positions thereof illustrated in Figs. 2, 7 and 8 to the positions thereof illustrated in Fig. 3. A strap section S (Fig. 15) is then placed over the lower jaws 76 and the rod 259 (Fig. 1), and more particularly over the opening in the buckle 126 held by said jaws whereupon the other pedal is depressed in order to cause the blade 52 to engage the strap section S and force it through the opening in the buckle 126, as fully illustrated and described in said prior patents. The ends of the strap section S, which have been in this manner looped through the buckle 126, are then impaled on the needle 256 in the manner shown in Fig. 15, so that the intermediate folded portion of the strap section S is held to one side of the opening in the buckle 126. Another strap section S, not shown herein but which is fully illustrated and described in both of said prior patents, is then threaded through the opening 258 of the buckle 94. To accomplish this, the strap section S is first positioned below the top jaw 74 so as to be threadable through the buckle opening 258 by the hook 54. Thus, by lowering the bar 32 on depression of the associated pedal, the hook 54 is projected through the eyelet opening 258 in the buckle 94, and by positioning the strap section S so that the same is over the free end of the lowered hook, subsequent upward movement of the bar 32 on release of the associated pedal causes the hook to move the strap sections S through the buckle opening 258. A suitable length of the strap section S, thus threaded through the opening 258 in the buckle 94, is positioned over the latter, after which the blade 52 is lowered into engagement with said overlying strap length and forces the latter through the other eyelet opening 260 in the buckle 94 and also through the eyelet opening in the lower buckle 126. The portion of the strap section S thus passed through the opening in both buckles 94 and 126 is again threaded through the buckle opening 258 in the same way as before by means of the hook 54, and is again disposed in overlying relation with respect to the other opening 260 in the buckle 120. Finally, the blade 52 is again lowered to engage and force the last mentioned overlying portion of the strap section S through the opening 26% in the buckle 94, but not through the aligned opening in the lower buckle 126. In this manner, the two buckles 94 and 126 are assembled with the strap sections S and S and an adjustable loop is formed in the strap section S which is looped through both buckles, as fully illustrated and described in both of my prior patents. The buckles thus assembled with the strap sections are then removed from the jaws 74 and 76 and may be left suspended on the needle 256.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the present invention without departing from the underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In apparatus for the assembly of a plurality of apertured buckles with straps to form an adjustable strap, vertically positioned buckle magazines having outlet openings at their lower ends, a buckle-receiving device disposed relative to the outlet opening of each magazine, said buckle-receiving devices being positioned in vertically spaced alignment, and means for transferring buckles in timed relation from one of said buckle magazines to one of said buckle-receiving devices and from another of said magazines to another of said buckle-receiving devices, whereby to provide in said buckle-receiving devices buckles disposed in vertical alignment so as to position their apertures in vertical alignment for facilitating the threading of a strap through the aligned apertures.

2. In apparatus for the assembly of a plurality of apertured buckles with straps to form an adjustable strap, buckle-receiving devices positioned in different horizontal planes for holding a plurality of buckles in vertically spaced alignment for assembly with a com panion strap, buckle magazines disposed at the same side of a single plane and associated with said bucklereceiving devices, respectively, for supplying buckles to said buckle receiving devices, respectively, and means for transferring buckles in timed relation from one of said buckle magazines to one of said buckle-receiving devices and from another of said magazines to another of said buckle-receiving devices, whereby to provide in said buckle-receiving devices buckles disposed in vertical alignment so as to position their apertures in vertical alignment for facilitating the threading of a strap through the aligned apertures.

3. In apparatus for the assembly of a plurality of apertured buckles with straps to form an adjustable strap, vertically positioned buckle magazines having outlet openings at their lower ends, a buckle-receiving device disposed relative to the outlet opening of each magazine, said buckle-receiving devices being positioned in vertically spaced alignment, and means for transferring buckles in timed relation from one of said buckle magazines to one of said buckle-receiving devices and from another of said magazines to another of said buckle-receiving devices, whereby to provide in said buckle-receiving devices buckles disposed in vertical alignment so as to position their apertures in vertical alignment for facilitating the threading of a strap through the aligned apertures, said transferring means including buckle-tracks extending between each outlet opening and its associated bucklereceiving device, and means for moving buckles from the magazines to said tracks and along the latter tothe associated buckle-receiving devices, respectively.

4'. In apparatus for the assembly of a plurality of apertured buckles with straps to form an adjustable strap, vertically positioned buckle magazines having outlet openings at their lower ends, a buckle-receiving device disposed relative to the outlet opening of each magazine, said buckle-receiving devices being positioned in vertically spaced alignment, and means for transferring buckles in timed relation from one of said buckle magazines to one of said. buckle-receiving devices and from another of said magazines to another of said buckle-receiving devices, whereby to provide in said buckle-receiving devices buckles disposed in vertical alignment so as to position their apertures in vertical alignment for facilitating the threading of a strap through the aligned apertures, said transferring means including buckle-tracks extending between each outlet opening and its associated buckle-receiving device, and means for moving buckles from the magazines to said tracks and along the latter to the associated buckle-receiving devices, respectively, said tracks being disposed in vertically spaced horizontal planes, respectively, and converging laterally toward each other from said magazine outlets to said buckle-receiving devices.

5. In apparatus for the assembly of a plurality of apertured buckles with straps to form an adjustable strap, buckle-receiving devices positioned in dilferent horizontal planes for holding a plurality of buckles in vertically spaced alignment for assembly with a companion strap, buckle magazines disposed at the same side of a single plane and associated with said buckle-receiving devices, respectively, for supplying buckles to said buckle receiving devices, respectively, and means for transferring buckles in timed relation from one of said buckle magazines to one of said buckle-receiving devices and from another of said magazines to another of said buckle-receiving devices, whereby to provide in said buckle-receiving devices buckles disposed in vertical alignment so as to position their apertures in vertical alignment for facilitating the threading of a strap through the aligned apertures, said transferring means including buckle-tracks extending between each outlet opening and its associated buckle-receiving device, and means for moving buckles from the magazines to said tracks and along the latter to the associated buckle-receiving devices, respectively, said magazines being disposed laterally of each other and said tracks converging laterally toward each other from the outlets of said magazines to said buckle-receiving devices.

6. In apparatus for the assembly of a plurality of apertured buckles with straps to form an adjustable strap, a pair of vertically positioned laterally related gravity feed buckle magazines having outlet openings at their lower ends, said outlet openings being in different horizontal planes, 3. buckle-receiving device associated with each outlet opening, said bucklereceiving devices being disposed in vertical registry, a buckle track extending between each outlet opening and its associated bucklereceiving device, said tracks being in different horizontal planes and converging laterally toward said bucklereceiving devices, and means for transferring a pair of buckles in timed relation from said outlet openings along the associated tracks to said buckle-receiving devices, whereby to provide in said buckle-receiving devices a pair of buckles which are in vertical registry so as to position their apertures in said vertical registry for facilitating the threading of a strap through said apertures.

7. In apparatus of the character described, means defining a buckle track, a vertically positioned buckle magazine having an outlet opening at its lower end, said opening being aligned with said track, and a transfer element operable in said outlet opening for transferring the buckles from said magazine to said track, said transfer element being mounted for reciprocation from a retracted to a projected position thereof for effecting said transfer of the buckles, said transfer element and said magazine having portions thereof which inter-engage in the retracted position of the transfer element for preventing the Withdrawal of the magazine from said apparatus.

8. In apparatus of the character described, means defining a buckle track, a vertically positioned buckle magazine having an outlet opening at its lower end, said opening being aligned with said track, and a transfer element operable in said outlet opening for transferring the buckles from said magazine to said track, said transfer element being mounted for reciprocation from a retracted to a projected position thereof for effecting said transfer of the buckles, said magazine opening being defined by con fronting wall portions at the lower end of said magazine, and said transfer element overlying said wall portions in the retracted position thereof for preventing the withdrawal of the magazine from said apparatus.

9. In apparatus of the character described, means defining a buckle track, a vertically positioned buckle magazine having an outlet opening at its lower end, said opening being aligned with said track, and a transfer element operable in said outlet opening for transferring the buckles from said magazine to said track, said transfer element References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 888,539 Simpson May 26, 1908 1,867,077 Joyce et al. July 12, 1932 2,091,176 Alfandre Aug. 24, 1937 2,265,782 Shaulson Dec. 9, 1941 2,327,291 Shaulson Sept. 17, 1943 2,374,717 Alfandre May 1, 1945 2,526,187 Alfandre Oct. 17, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 661,586 Great Britain Nov. 21, 1951 686,468 Great Britain Jan. 28, 1953 

